Article From: 4/15/2009 Production Machining, Chris Felix, Associate Editor
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Chris Felix
Rotary broaching allows hex, spline or other shapes to be quickly and efficiently machined on the ID or OD of a part. Either the holder or the part can be rotating, so the procedure is effective on lathes and screw machines or in machining centers.
Currently the defense industry is still in a growth pattern, and rotary broaching can be a ticket for some defense contractors to win a bigger piece of the pie. The Army, Navy, Air Force and many other government agencies consume vast quantities of parts every day. They are looking for manufacturers who can machine high quality parts quickly, inexpensively and accurately. Many of these military fasteners and defense parts have ID or OD hexes, double hexes or other shapes that cannot be machined quickly (if at all) using conventional tooling.
One solution to these jobs is Schlitter Tool’s line of HexMaster rotary broaching attachments, which can machine these shapes in seconds at feed rates up to 0.012 ipr and speeds up to 2,000 rpm. The technology of these tools is even more fascinating when incorporated into smaller, Swiss-type applications. Read further detail about how they manage the increased importance of tool centering by eliminating the need for an orbiting head and the need to adjust the holder for different tool lengths.
For a broader background on rotary broaching, read this overview that explains how the process has gained momentum as a preferred method for putting a variety of shapes into the heads of screws in difficult to machine materials.
